1. Scope of Invention
This invention relates generally to decorative flag and banner display devices supportable on a vehicle and more particularly to a display flag and support apparatus arrangement connectable to a towing ball, when removed, of a conventional trailer hitch in any form.
2. Prior Art
Popularity of display banners and flags has grown rapidly as more sports events, college support and professional team support has also gained in popularity. Display flags and banners bearing college, high school and professional team logos and names are also a very lucrative commodity for the respective trademark holders and generate additional enthusiasm by both participants and fans.
A flexible safety mast mounting invented by Asciutto in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,354 teaches a mast mounting arrangement for supporting a mast and safety flag or communication antenna. The assembly releasably attaches to a rear frame portion of an all terrain vehicle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,621, a vehicle alignment device has been invented by Lockwood which utilizes the trailer hitch tongue and the tongue of the trailer for providing a mounting surface for mating alignment of flags which assist the driver of the vehicle in connecting the trailer to the trailer hitch.
Another trailer hitch guide system has been invented by Heinecke in U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,136. This guide system includes a trailer hitch having an inboard end coupled to the frame of the vehicle and an outboard end of the trailer hitch which includes a conventional trailer ball. An upright mast or shaft is releasably connectable to the end of the trailer hitch to facilitate alignment of the vehicle as it is backed into place with respect to the boat trailer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,927, Purpura teaches a vehicle flag mounting assembly for the fender structure of a motorcycle. The structure of the motorcycle fender includes a license plate assembly and spaced plural mast support members.
Another trailer hitch alignment device is disclosed by Talcott in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,706. Again, the intention of the Talcott invention is to utilize the vehicle and boat trailer structure to provide support and use of an alignment structure which is unique to this patent.
The following additional U.S. patent teachings provide detailed structure for supporting a display flag on other portions of a vehicle as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,255 issued to Marcotti
U.S. Pat. No. 1,564,703 issued to Nichols
U.S. Pat. No. 1,928,563 issued to Hetzel
U.S. Pat. No. 1,279,669 issued to Deming
U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,203 issued to Gualano
U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,902 issued to Gualano
U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,056 issued to Paxton
U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,147 issued to Griffin
U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,857 issued to Eisenberg, et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,687 issued to Chester
The following U.S. Patents disclose devices for holding diverse articles on various structural portions of vehicles, including front and back trailer hitches:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,446 issued to Greenberg
U.S. Pat. No. 2,533,837 issued to Pauley
U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,414 issued to Deguevara
U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,352 issued to Mills
U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,577 issued to Ching
Lastly, prior art further teaches a number of devices for supporting a display type flag using various indicia formed thereon which are not related to vehicle support structure as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,167 issued to Furman
U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,726 issued to Sullivan
This invention is directed to a detachable vehicle trailer hitch display flag apparatus, the trailer hitch of the type having a removable towing ball. The apparatus comprises an elongated preferably tubular flagstaff having a display flag attached or releasably attachable to an upper end portion thereof and an elongated straight support shaft adapted at a lower end thereof to be releasably attachable to the trailer hitch in upwardly extending and upright orientation in place of the towing ball when it is removed. A lower end of the flagstaff is slidably engageable to the support shaft in coaxial upwardly extending alignment with the support shaft. A releasable locking arrangement holds the flagstaff and the support shaft together while the apparatus is in use.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a flagstaff apparatus which is easily connectable to an existing trailer hitch structure, providing for the easy releasable attachment and detachment of the flagstaff and associated display flag as an assembly of the apparatus.
It is another object of this invention to provide a display flag apparatus which provides the economy of utilizing an existing trailer hitch structures with the removal of the towing ball from the trailer hitch.
In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.